Bomb squad detonates suspicious package at South Park Mall

Updated 5:35 pm, Wednesday, May 7, 2014

SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Police Department's bomb squad detonated a suspicious package found Wednesday in a vehicle in the parking lot of the South Park Mall. It was not an explosive, fire officials determined after the detonation.

San Antonio Fire Department spokeswoman Deborah Foster said crews were called to the a parking lot in the 2600 block of Southwest Military Drive around 2 p.m. after the package was found in a black pickup truck outside the mall.

A man in his 60s was sitting in a Chili's restaurant facing the parking lot, “intently watching” but not identifying himself as officers assessed and detonated the package, Foster said. He was later taken into custody for questioning.

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A container filled with a liquid also was found at the scene, and because of the nature of the incident the fire department's hazmat team was called to the scene. The liquid was water, they determined.

Officials could not immediately say what about the package raised suspicion.